Ange Postecoglou has defended underperforming Tottenham star Brennan Johnson from online abuse and claimed trolls would get a ‘punch on the nose’ if they made such comments in front of him.
Wales international, Johnson, has endured mixed fortunes since completing a £47.5m move to Spurs last year from boyhood club Nottingham Forest.
The 23-year-old’s potential led to Spurs handing him a six-year contract, but some groups of supporters have been critical after returning only five goals across 38 appearances for the club.
Social media offers abusers anonymity to direct vile comments at players and Johnson has since taken the decision to deactivate his Instagram account after being slammed online in the wake of Tottenham’s north London derby defeat last weekend.
Postecoglou has now leapt to his winger’s defence and condemned individuals who have been making hurtful comments online about Johnson’s performances.
Ange Postecoglou has defended underperforming Tottenham star Brennan Johnson (pictured) from online abuse
Postecoglou is disgusted by the social media abuse that Johnson has been subjected to
Johnson has endured a difficult start to the new season in his second year at Spurs
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s third-round Carabao Cup clash against Coventry, Postecoglou said: ‘I hate how we’ve just normalised all that stuff.
‘I’ve been around long enough and even when I was playing, I copped a fair bit. But it was usually on the terraces and then the game was over and you’d go home.
‘You’re talking about a young guy who is probably lacking a bit of confidence at the moment. Things haven’t gone his way.
‘But he comes here every day, he’s working his backside off, he’s asking for feedback, he’s doing everything right, he’s trying so hard to become the player he wants to be. It’s hurting him a lot.
‘It’s not like he’s out on the town and he doesn’t care and he rolls up late. So what’s his crime? His crime is he isn’t performing at the level that people expect of him.’
Johnson has started three of the club’s opening four Premier League games this season, including the recent defeat against Arsenal, and is attempting to form a fluid attacking partnership with captain Son Heung-min and Dominic Solanke.
However, his career in England’s capital is yet to take off and Johnson is working tirelessly to rediscover the form that initially saw him score eight goals and register three assists during Forest’s first season back in the English top-flight.
Postecoglou believes Johnson will eventually deliver on the potential that saw Spurs fork out £47.5m for him
Johnson (left) has deactivated his Instagram account after being subjected to online abuse
An outspoken Postecoglou issued a further vow of support for the youngster and lashed out at how online trolls can make comments without fear of repercussion, adding: ‘That getting abuse, and it is abuse and a lot of it personal, is oh well, that’s part of the territory. I don’t see that.
‘The fact that they’ve got to limit their world, close their world a little bit because of… I mean what kind of person writes abusive things to an individual?
‘Criticism is one thing, exasperation at a game, you accept that. To sit down and write something abusive anonymously… say it in front of me, you’ll get a punch on the nose, you won’t do it again, mate. But they won’t do that,’ he added.
Postecoglou will be hoping his public backing will get the best out of Johnson, but could opt to take the forward out of the firing line for Wednesday’s cup clash.